Can I Have My Original Chin Implant Put Back In?

Q: Dr. Eppley, I had a chin implant removal about more than 2 months ago. It was a small button chin implant, placed intraorally for 8 years. It is also worth noting that my button implant rested a little higher than usual, close to the lips. The removal would be my 3rd intraoral chin surgery. I went to a new surgeon and he kept convincing me to remove the implant because it was making me look “masculine” rather than “feminine”. However, I regret removing the implant because of the following:

1. I actually prefer how I look with the implant as it gives me more definition and structure especially at the side view. In fact, since the removal the shape looks broader and longer, and retracted which makes me look more masculine which is the opposite intended effect. 

2. My lips (particularly the lower lip) has gone backwards and inwards. It is significantly thinner. My original lips have always been full and everted. I can’t find much information on this online. I also feel like the lip angle has changed. Right now I have to use effort to close my lips and it keeps making a “pursing” mouth effect. I also have lower teeth which were not present before. Also, it’s strange but somehow my top lip also looks thinner and droop downwards (probably to reach my bottom lip) which is elongating my philtrum and I hate this effect as it makes me look so aged and sunken. Is my philtrum already permanently stretched? Or will it be back to normal once the bottom lip is restored, but how will it be restored?

3. Overall lower face looks sunken because the chin and lips went backwards and now I look so much older and less youthful. I prefer my lips rolled forward and chin to be forward as well.

4. My labiomental fold used to be deep (which I like actually, despite many people preferring a shallow one). Now it became more shallow which is strange to me because from what I read in your articles online, the labiomental fold cannot be changed and is a fixed structure

Anyway, the point is, I brought these issues up to my surgeon but he insists I 100% do not have chin and lip ptosis, despite me feeling that the symptoms are evident. He also attributed these to the botox he put in my chin 1 week after the removal, as a precautionary measure to not overwork the mentalis muscle while it is healing. So he is saying the botox is contributing to my lip problems. I am unsure of this and feel it is likely a ptosis or mentalis issue.

Right now, what I really want is to revert back to how I looked before the chin implant removal. I want the same implant back, and the same fullness and eversion of lips back. I want a more forward looking face rather than a sunken one. Somehow this chin implant removal has caused a slight “facial collapse” effect on me.

A: You can certainly have your original chin implant style/size put back and the new chin implant removed. That is not the question and is undoubtably what you need to do based on your comments. How close you would return to how you looked before  can not be accurately predicted but, even if it is not 100% the same, you will feel better about it than you do now.

Dr. Barry Eppley

World-Renowned Plastic Surgeon